Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate generally to latches and, more particularly, to latches for vehicles.
Conventional latches commonly include an electrical reset mechanism for disengaging a pawl from a claw to allow the claw to rotate to an open position and release a striker. If the motor stops before a lifted door handle connected to the latch is released, the pawl will bias back into engagement with the claw before the claw has rotated to an open position. This early release of the pawl while the handle is still lifted results in the pawl engaging the claw in a partially opened or safety position. In this circumstance, the release of the pawl is not properly timed and therefore the pawl creates undesirable noise as it contacts the surface of the claw before reaching the safety position.
Accordingly, while existing vehicle latch mechanisms are suitable, the need for improvement remains, particularly in providing a latch having a mechanism that prevents the pawl from prematurely engaging the claw while a door is lifted.